Skip to Main Content

Social Work Resources

Welcome to the Graduate College of Social Work Research Guide! Within this guide, you will find information and links to Social Work related resources that you may find useful for your classwork and research.

Published or Unpublished?

Tests and measures fall into two categories...

Published tests (also known as commercial tests) are standardized tests available for purchase. Often, these tests must be purchased in quantity and the producer may not want to the test available to the general public, or for copying. Published tests can be quite expensive and are generally not sold to libraries. If you need more information about a published test try a search in Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print. Example: the Beck Depression Inventory's website and the MMY entry.

Unpublished tests (also known as noncommercial tests) are generally not sold commercially. These can be found in a variety of places, including journal articles, theses, dissertations, and books. Copyright restrictions vary among unpublished tests, so contacting the author for permission is always recommended. Example: Maryland Trait and State Depression Scale in PsycTESTS.

American Psychological Association Information

For more information, the American Psychological Association (APA) offers a helpful FAQ.

Databases for Finding Tests

Published Tests

Check if the test/measure is published by searching for it in these resources. If a test is published it is usually available for purchase through the publisher and not in the library collection.

Unpublished Tests

Unpublished tests, measures, scales, and other instruments can be found using the same techniques you would use to research other parts of your topic - dissertations, review and research articles in databases.

When you use instruments or tests you find online, please have the following considerations in mind:

  • Anyone can publish information on the Internet. The author of the test may not be qualified to create or evaluate a test. Check the credentials of the author.
  • The validity and reliability of a test may not be established. Search a quality database, such as PsycInfo, to see if the test has been evaluated.
  • Someone who copies an existing test in print and posts it online is violating professional ethics and copyright regulations.

If you search online for tests and instruments, make sure you know who the author/publisher is, and what their credentials are. In general, government sites (such as the CDC), and academic departments at universities and colleges are good places to obtain a test.

Here are some sites we do recommend:

Books with Tests

Citing Tests & Measures

Citing tests and measures is not as cut and dry as citing other sources and may require you to use your best judgment. Remember, the main purpose of a citation is to allow others to find the test you are using.

Below are some guidelines you can use to help format your citation.

Helpful Books for Constructing a Test